The present invention relates generally to automatic performance devices and methods for sequentially reading out prestored automatic performance data from memory to generate tones on the basis of the read-out automatic performance data. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic performance device and method providing for a pretended manual performance by setting or adjusting tone generating timing based on automatic performance data in response to player's operation on a manual performance operator such as a keyboard.
Examples of the conventionally known automatic performance device for automatically generating tones includes one that is designed to generate a tone by reading one performance data in response each key operation by a human player (so-called "one-key playing"). In another example of the known automatic performance device, performance data are sequentially read out in accordance with a predetermined tempo, independently of player's key operation, so that tones are generated on the basis of the so-far-read-out performance data in response player's activation of a predetermined key. According to such a scheme, the predetermined key is either a particular key on a keyboard or a dedicated key provided separately from the keyboard. Generally, concurrently with the tone generation based on the activation of the key, the device can execute an automatic performance for another part at a predetermined tempo.
However, with the first-said known automatic performance device, the performance would often become stagnant or too fast such as when the player fails to operate the keys in an appropriate manner, resulting in misharmonization with another automatically-performed part. Thus, the human player or operator can not enjoy a musical performance. With the second-said known automatic performance device, which can prevent the performance from becoming stagnant or too fast, the player has to operate the key with a single finger because the particular keyboard key or dedicated key is used as a tone generation controlling key, so that the player, during performance, can not have a feeling as if he or she were actually performing with both hands. Also, a right-hand performance part (e.g., melody) and a left-hand performance part (e.g., chord accompaniment) can not be carried out independently of each other by operating the keyboard with both hands on the basis of performance data for the two performance parts.